What sort of job opportunities are open to MBA associates after 18 months-24 months on the job?
Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
July 31, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
Following
I have seen MBA associates jump to PE - Bus Dev, Corp Dev, and higher up FP&A roles. - Sample 5 MBA associates
That’s encouraging. How much time did they have under them when they made that move? Significant pay cuts on the corp dev side I assume?
I never exclusively asked what the pay was, but everyone seemed happy. The one person going into PE Biz Dev made the comment that they were surprised in a good way by the pay. - all of them were making 2020-2021 BB Assoc Salaries. ( I think the one thing to add here - is that all the MBAs were happy because they were leaving banking and were willing to take pay cut if that is what it took).
All exited with 12-24 months of Associate Experience - Some had closed large deals and moved on, some had not.
Thanks for the response. Begs the question, what had kept you around in IB?
The Deals babbbbbbby, I'm a junkie, I love this shit!
Getting to chase clients, come up with interesting ideas for M&A in the industry. I worked my way into a really good spot under a MD and got a little more free rein to do what I want (assuming work get done).
*not a MBA Associate
Nam officia voluptas maxime deleniti vero qui similique. Provident alias rerum laudantium. Ut quo aliquam vero debitis odio fugiat labore. Sequi eum nulla voluptatem neque nihil. Repellat deleniti necessitatibus qui officiis. Aut ullam quia odio.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...